University of Arizona, government and industry leaders attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 17 to celebrate the opening of the expanded Nanofabrication Core Facility, part of the Office of Research and Partnerships’ Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing.

The Arizona Commerce Authority awarded $35.5 million in funding in 2023 to expand the clean room from 2,800 to 6,800 square feet, equip it with ultramodern tools, and support a statewide workforce development program.

“Arizona’s emergence as a national leader in semiconductor manufacturing depends on research excellence and a highly skilled workforce,” said Suresh Garimella, president of the University of Arizona. “The University of Arizona is proud to launch and lead the research infrastructure and talent pipeline that will sustain Arizona’s semiconductor leadership. We are grateful to Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Commerce Authority for their partnership in advancing this investment. By integrating advanced fabrication capabilities with hands-on education, we are accelerating innovation, expanding engagement and fulfilling our land-grant mission.”

Located in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building, the clean room prepares students for the state’s booming semiconductor industry. It also supports faculty research and industry collaboration on chip fabrication, optoelectronic and photonic devices and quantum technology systems.

“This clean room is where ideas move from concept to capability for the global semiconductor industry,” said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for research and partnerships. “By integrating advanced fabrication and photonics with talent development, the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing has created an environment where faculty, students and industry partners can build and test the semiconductor technologies of the future. This leading-edge facility strengthens our ability to deliver research with real-world impact that will enhance and ensure U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing today and in the future.”

The clean room’s air is 10,000 times cleaner than outside air, which is essential for exacting protocols that ensure the purity, precision and reliability of chips.

A dedicated bay houses chemical and mechanical polishing equipment to smooth silicon wafers – the foundation of semiconductor chips. The planarization bay is among the first university cleanrooms to support 12-inch wafer polishing.

Additionally, the facility handles photolithography, etching, metrology and packaging –critical steps that underlie semiconductor device fabrication. 

“The expanded clean room provides dedicated space that enables industry-driven collaborations to advance research innovation and support workforce pipelines,” said Krishna Muralidharan, director of the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and a professor of Materials Science and Engineering. “We have collaborated with multiple companies to support their research and development efforts and look forward to growing our network of partners to promote Arizona’s semiconductor manufacturing industry.”

Next door, undergraduates tap into streamlined training with Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 headsets, where up to 18 students explore digital twins of the cleanroom and its equipment.

The clean room supports the university’s undergraduate minor degree in semiconductor manufacturing, stackable graduate degree certificates that encompass semiconductor materials, semiconductor processing, and semiconductor packaging, an accelerated masters program in semiconductors, as well as a co-curricular ‘Fast-track’ digital certificate program in semiconductor manufacturing for both STEM and non-STEM majors. 

“The University of Arizona’s clean room expansion opening marks a significant milestone in advancing semiconductor innovation in Arizona," said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We’re proud to collaborate with the University of Arizona and all of the partners involved to support this state-of-the-art facility – advancing semiconductor R&D and reinforcing Arizona’s position as an epicenter for pioneering semiconductor innovation and investment.”

The Arizona Commerce Authority allocated $4.5 million of its original $35.5 million investment for workforce development that extends beyond campus, positioning the U of A as a bridge between education and high-paying careers.

"The benefits of Arizona Commerce Authority's investment will extend far beyond the University of Arizona campus, supporting Arizona’s role as the national leader in micro- and nanofabrication," said David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean of the College of Engineering. "This project speaks to the power of collaboration between the ACA and our university, accelerating Arizona’s workforce development, and driving technological advancement in fulfillment of our commitment to shaping the future through research and innovation."

The Southwest Nano-Lab Alliance – a coalition of the state’s three public universities, the University of Utah, the University of New Mexico and Rio Salado College – collaborates on workforce initiatives.

Augmented reality teaching modules will be shared with regional partners like Pima Community College and Central Arizona College via the SemiXperience platform. Additionally, semiconductor manufacturing courses, along with corresponding teaching resources, are available on the SemiSphere content-sharing platform.

K-12 programs are already bolstering the pipeline. The Chips and Wafers Camp, a high school summer camp developed with Chandler Unified School District, introduces high schoolers to the industry.

“Semiconductors power nearly every part of modern life, from health care and transportation to clean energy, national security and artificial intelligence,” said Gov. Katie Hobbs. “For too long, much of this manufacturing capacity existed overseas. Arizona has stepped forward to change that. Arizona’s semiconductor future depends on skilled technicians, engineers and innovators ready to step into high-tech jobs. Through hands-on training, advanced simulation tools and partnerships across the state, the University of Arizona is creating pathways into these careers.”